NOW EXPERIENCING:Leeuwin Estate
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Leeuwin Estate

Thursday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Stevens Road, Witchcliffe WA 6286
Phone
(08) 9759 0000
Website
leeuwinestate.com.au
Instagram
@leeuwinestate

Read time 4 Mins

Posted 29 Nov 2023

By
Max Veenhuyzen

Come for the world-famous chardonnay, stay for the art and one of Margaret River’s favourite long lunches. And while the wines and dining are top-shelf, Leeuwin remains a pleasingly fuss-free affair.

The vines at Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River
Why you goIn wine circles, the words “art series” carry serious weight. Say them to seasoned drinkers and they’ll instantly know that you’re talking about Leeuwin Estate’s top-tier wines – in particular, the estate’s world-famous chardonnay. While the wine’s reputation is richly deserved – Leeuwin hit the big-time when influential wine magazine Decanter recommended the 1981 Art Series Chardonnay to its global readership – its cellar door is a pleasingly fuss-free affair. Reflecting the easy-going nature of founders Tricia and Denis Horgan, Leeuwin’s breezy Margaret River HQ is anchored in food, drink, art, music and vignettes of old-school Australiana.
Why you stayLeeuwin is an operation that knows exactly what it does and what faithful regulars go there for. While renovations have kept the cellar door looking up-to-date, certain design elements – walls clad with barrel staves, native timber and stone features, a hand-carved roadside sign – speak to Leeuwin’s history as one of the region’s first wineries. In short, visiting the estate feels a bit like visiting a rich auntie (albeit a rich auntie with a grand art collection and a talented live-in cook). Crowd-wise, expect to see everyone and everything from meticulously dressed fashionistas to older gents in block-colour polos and Havaianas who look right at home in this showpiece estate.
A tasting set-up at Leeuwin Estate's cellar door
What drink to orderAlthough Leeuwin offers guests a range of thoughtful tasting experiences – more on those later – even visitors dropping in for a casual, off-the-cuff tasting have access to top-shelf stuff. Sitting just below the Art Series range, Leeuwin’s Prelude wines offer serious bang for buck and strong varietal characteristics: when we visited, the Prelude Chardonnay was included in that day’s free five-wine tasting. The wines bottled under the Siblings umbrella, meanwhile, are pitched at those looking for drink-now enjoyment. For a $10 tasting fee, staff will bolster your line-up with some Art Series wines, although trying the Art Series Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon will set you back $10 apiece (both wines sit at a higher price point than the others).
A white wine matched with a seafood dish in the restaurant at Leeuwin Estate
What to pair it withIt’s impossible to look at Leeuwin’s showpiece restaurant without thinking “long lunch”. The dining room’s field of play starts after the tasting area and continues to the balcony where chunky ’80s wooden furniture, one of the region’s most polished service teams and vistas of the surrounding karri forest await. The plates are equally Instagram-ready and boast artful combinations such as supple cuttlefish strips in a taramasalata sauce – a fine match for the recommended Art Series Sauvignon Blanc. Wagyu rump with a black-bean sauce is designed to show off Leeuwin’s powerful, concentrated reds. This is special-occasion cooking, certainly, but the crew at the restaurant like things chill. Whether you do the three-course lunch or splash out on the tasting menu, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy your meal with gems from the Leeuwin cellars.
Don’t leave withoutJohn Olsen, Robert Juniper, Sidney Nolan – just three of the Australian artists whose work has graced Leeuwin’s lauded Art Series labels over the years. Art buffs will want to make time to wander the (free) downstairs gallery where works from Leeuwin’s collection of more than 150 pieces hang. The gallery also features a healthy selection of Indigenous artwork – the labels for Art Series Shiraz exclusively feature First Nations art – and includes pieces from painters such as Alfreda Nungarrayi Martin, Elsie Gabori and Netta Loogatha.
Inside the art gallery at Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River
At the tasting counter at Leeuwin Estate
Make it fancyAlthough the Leeuwin range delivers at every price point, Art Series is the winery’s MVP. Guests lunching at the restaurant can order bottles of back-vintage Art Series Chardonnay dating back to 2004, while many of the tasting experiences revolve around being able to taste new and old bottlings of Leeuwin’s flagship side by side. Reservations for these tastings are essential. The estate also has its own airstrip, making it possible to book a private charter flight to Leeuwin or – for those with a pilot licence – fly down for the day.
Who to takeEveryone loves Leeuwin. They love the energy and bonhomie of the tasting counter. They love the history of both Leeuwin and that of the Horgan family. They, naturally, love the wines. And they love how conducive the entire complex is to long lunching, especially long lunching as a group. Big round tables dotted around the verandah host everyone from extended families (grandma, grandpa, grandkids) to groups of couples holidaying together down south. For the complete Leeuwin experience, book early, cancel any plans for after lunch, and really give yourself the time to enjoy a classic Margaret River wine and food experience.
The deck is a great space at Leeuwin Estate
Authour image
Max VeenhuyzenMax Veenhuyzen is a Perth food, drink and travel journalist who contributes to key Australian publications.
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Drinks DirectoryCellar DoorGood for groupsWheelchair accessibleOutdoor areaWineryRegional WAFamily affairTakeawaysTop notch wine listFancy occasionRestaurantMeal and a bev
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